Posted: January 27, 2005

Athletics: Rogowska, Rybakov, Styopina, Yurchenko, Harris, The Winners At Mid-Week Jump Contests

By Bob Ramsak, Track Profile

(c) 2004 Track Profile all rights reserved TrackProfile.com

Olympic bronze medallist Anna Rogowska raised the Polish national record for the second time in three days as she leapt to a world-leading 4.73 (15-6.25) clearance at the Elite Cafe Cup in Bydgoszcz, Poland, highlighting three jump competitions held around Europe today.

Only five women have ever jumped higher indoors or out than the 23-year-old Pole, who cleared on her second attempt. [Note: For record purposes, the IAAF does not differentiate between indoor and outdoor performances.] In Bydgoszcz, Rogowska beat a solid field that included former world record holder and Olympic silver medallist Svetlana Feofanova of Russia; Tatyana Polnova, the runner-up of last year's season-capping World Athletics Final; and former Polish record holder Monica Pyrek, bronze medallist at both the 2001 world championships outdoors and 2003 world championships indoors. Feofanova, making her first appearance of the year, and Pyrek tied for second with 4.53 (14-10.25) bests. Polnova, who also cleared 4.53, was fourth.

In the men's high jump, Yaroslav Rybakov won his third competition in as many outings this month with a first attempt 2.31 (7-7) effort. The 24-year-old Russian, silver medallist at the 2002 and 2003 World Indoor championships, missed three times at 2.36 (7-8.75). Reigning world outdoor champion Jacques Freitag of South Africa, who is on the mend from injury, was second with a 2.28 (7-5.75) leap. American Jamie Nieto, fourth at last year's Olympic Games, tied for third with Mark Boswell of Canada, and Poles Robert Wolski and Michal Bieniek. Each leaped 2.25 (7-4.5).

Olympic high jump bronze medallist Viktoriya Styopina won the third international jump meeting in Cottbus, Germany with a 1.95 (6-4.75) clearance to lead a Ukrainian top honors sweep in her 2005 debut. Denis Yurchenko won the men's pole vault, reaching 5.80 (19- 1/2), just one centimeter shy of his outdoor personal best of 5.81 from 2003.

American Tora Harris upset Olympic bronze medallist Jaroslav Bába to win the 13th annual Beskydska Latka meeting in the eastern Czech city of Trinec.

The 26-year-old Princeton University grad, winner of the 2002 indoor and outdoor NCAA titles, equalled his indoor personal best of 2.30 (7-6.5) on his final attempt to best Bába, who leapt a world-leading 2.35 (7-8.5) at Saturday's meet in Hustopece, the first competition of the three-meet Moravian High Jump Series. Harris, a 2004 Olympian after finishing third at last year's U.S. Olympic Trials, has an outdoor personal best of 2.31 (7-7). Bába was second with a 2.27 (7-5.25) effort, beating fellow-Czech Svatoslav Ton with fewer misses.

Olga Kaliturina of Russia won the women's competition with a first-attempt clearance of 1.94 (6-4.25). Monica Iagar of Romania was second with a best of 1.90 (6-2 3/4).

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